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In the past six months, we've said goodbye to a king and hello to another, met some new clones, traveled the flat circle of time, and had an old friend for dinner. So far, it's been a stunning year for television. We've seen so many wonderful, gripping horrifying, funny, and poignant moments blaze across our television screens in 2014, so it's hard to fathom that we're only halfway through the year. Here's a list of some of our favorite moments in television this year... so far. (Beware spoilers!)
The Mountain Crushes the ViperShow: Game of ThronesEpisode: "The Mountain and the Viper"
It was all too easy for Oberyn, who was doing backflips and chanting accusations while easily besting the Mountain in combat. But style, grace, and most importantly, honor have no place in the world of Game of Thrones. A lesson the show has painfully reiterated time and time again. What really gets things done in Westeros is brutal efficiency. So when the Mountain grabs hold of Oberyn by the scruff of the neck, unlike his competitor he wastes no time in gouging the prince's eyes out and crushing his head in horribly graphic fashion. The scene was a disgusting display of SFX wizardry and we've been wincing for weeks.
Three Years Later...Show: Parks and RecreationEpisode: "Moving Up"
For the past six years, Leslie has served Pawnee with moxie and unbridled enthusiasm, but it soon became clear that the devoted public servant was becoming too big for her little Indiana town. Pawnee after all, is somehow simultaneously the greatest town in America and hell on earth for anyone with more than two brain cells rubbing together. We knew Leslie would have to move on eventually, we just didn't know it would be so soon. In a brave gambit, Parks and Recreation jumps ahead three whole years and catches up with Leslie working a new job in Chicago with three toddler-aged kids. Ben is also inexplicably wearing a tuxedo. We've sometimes criticized Parks and Rec for growing a little stagnant formula-wise, and this was a brilliant shake-up for the series.
Helena ReturnsShow: Orphan BlackEpisode: "Governed as it Were by Chance"
At the end of the first season, Sarah shot her “seestra” Helena and left her for dead, but in the second, she found out that it takes more than a gunshot to take out the most unpredictable clone of all. Their reunion in the bathroom is one of Tatiana Maslany’s finest performances, a tense, terrifying moment that highlights the differences between all of the clones. As Helena, she’s creepy and otherworldly and desperate to be loved and protected; as Sarah, she’s terrified and traumatized, shaking uncontrollably and unable to breathe. It’s everything that’s exhilarating and mesmerizing about Maslany’s work on the show condensed into a powerhouse of a scene.
NBC
The Dinner PartyShow: HannibalEpisode: "Mizumono"
Season 2 of Hannibal opened and closed with a deadly dinner that was nothing short of a game-changer. The season's slow burning tragedy ended with a shocking, bloody, and audacious final 10 minutes that leaves Will Graham and essentially the entire principal cast bleeding out, dead, or dying, while Hannibal escapes into the night. It's hard to think of a moment of television in 2014 that left us more gutted.
The Long TakeShow: True DetectiveEpisode: "Who Goes There"
These days, television is on a definite winning streak, with some even proclaiming that the lowly boob tube has even transcended film. TV has certainly come a long way in the past 10 years, and even in the last five, but one area where television has always felt lacking is in cinematography. Directing on television can sometimes feel largely perfunctory, a means to an end. But then we saw the fourth episode of True Detective. And then we forgot what movies even were for a couple days. When undercover cop Rust Cohle is caught up in a white supremacist robbery gone wrong, he escapes in a breathtaking six-minute long take that's not only absurdly complex and seamless but so unflinchingly thrilling. We can't even begin to comprehend how Cary Fukunaga put this one together.
The Coming Out PartyShow: ShamelessEpisode: "Emily"
Generally, when characters come out as gay on television, they do so through a heartfelt confession underscored to soft piano music. But Mickey Milkvoich is not a typical character and Shameless is not a typical show. So when Mickey came out, he did so by getting into a bar fight with his abusive, homophobic, alcoholic father. It’s a testament to Noel Fisher’s performance that he’s not only turned Mickey from a one-off bully into one of the most sympathetic – if not necessarily likeable – characters on the show, but he also created a scene that it simultaneously touching and triumphant.
Ding Dong, the King is DeadShow: Game of ThronesEpisode: "The Lion and the Rose"
With the Starks scattered in the winds, Stannis virtually army-less, and Daenerys still tying to be the Abe Lincoln of Essos, we expected Joffery, the cruel boy king of Westeros, to sit on the Iron Throne for decades. to come. Luckily, Game of Thrones doesn't give a crap what we expect, and in the midst of Joffery's garish wedding celebration, right when Joffery was being his Joffery-est, the king is murdered. And when the big moment finally happens, it isn't triumphant or cathartic like we had always imagined, but horrifying. Watching the life slip out of this child (a fact that's so easy to forget) as he clutches for his mother, and seeing his terrified face go blue then grey, with eyes wild and confused, struggling to understand what was happening, the scene is actually deeply sad. We even felt pity for the poor monster. But we felt even worse for the people caught in the blowback of his assassination.
Mind Your MannersShow: Orange Is the New BlackEpisode: "We Have Manners. We're Polite."
You know all that catharsis we were missing from the death of Joffery on Game of Thrones? Well, we sure felt it in spades here. Vee spent Season 2 of Orange Is the New Black terrorizing and manipulating the inmates of Litchfield. So when Rosa crunches into Vee with her stolen prison van, extinguishing the menace for good... Let's just say we've never felt better about seeing someone get hit with a car.
AMC
Ginsberg Looses His S**t... and NippleShow: Mad MenEpisode: "The Runaways"
Most of Mad Men's psychological traumas occur beneath the skin. But Michael Ginsberg, the least "polished" of the Sterling Cooper &amp; Partners troupe, found a way to bring his issues to the surface in one of the weirdest scenes in the series' history: he removed the valve. He cut off his own nipple, exemplifying a bout with what can only be presumed to be paranoid schizophrenia at the behest of a mechanical interloper. Mad Men is all about metaphors... and we're still clawing at this one to figure out what it means.
Emmett and Leanne's KillerShow: The AmericansEpisode: "Echo"
On FX, there is a show that is every bit as good as Game of Thrones, Hannibal, or True Detective, but only a scant few are watching. The Americans wrapped up its sophomore season in brilliant fashion, letting loose a twist that shocked to the core. After spending the season searching for the killers of fellow undercover KGB agents, Emmet and Leanne, Philip and Elizabeth discover that the real killer was none other than their friends' own son, who was admitted into the KGB behind his parents' back. As the young man revealed his misdeeds between bloody gasps and blind soviet patriotism, everything about the second season was suddenly turned on its head. The most frightening revelation: Paige and Henry, Elizabeth and Phillip's own kids, are next in line to become operatives. Is it 2015 yet?
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Actress-turned-stage-director Elke Neidhardt has died, aged 72. The German-born star passed away in Sydney, Australia on Monday (25Nov13). She recently underwent an operation after the discovery of several tumours, but the cause of her death has yet to be officially confirmed, according to The Australian newspaper.
Fellow opera director Noel Staunton, says, "She had an enormous contribution to opera in Australia, and left it with some great productions. In the opera world, she was a big influence. She will be sadly missed."
During her early career, Neidhardt appeared in a number of TV and film roles, including 1972 movie Alvin Purple.
However, she is most celebrated for becoming the first theatre director to stage Richard Wagner's Ring Cycle in Australia in 2004.
She is survived by her son, Fabian.

Lions Gate via Everett Collection
When we last left our heroes, they had conquered all opponents in the 74th Annual Hunger Games, returned home to their newly refurbished living quarters in District 12, and fallen haplessly to the cannibalism of PTSD. And now we're back! Hitching our wagons once again to laconic Katniss Everdeen and her sweet-natured, just-for-the-camera boyfriend Peeta Mellark as they gear up for a second go at the Capitol's killing fields.
But hold your horses — there's a good hour and a half before we step back into the arena. However, the time spent with Katniss and Peeta before the announcement that they'll be competing again for the ceremonial Quarter Quell does not drag. In fact, it's got some of the film franchise's most interesting commentary about celebrity, reality television, and the media so far, well outweighing the merit of The Hunger Games' satire on the subject matter by having Katniss struggle with her responsibilities as Panem's idol. Does she abide by the command of status quo, delighting in the public's applause for her and keeping them complacently saturated with her smiles and curtsies? Or does Katniss hold three fingers high in opposition to the machine into which she has been thrown? It's a quarrel that the real Jennifer Lawrence would handle with a castigation of the media and a joke about sandwiches, or something... but her stakes are, admittedly, much lower. Harvey Weinstein isn't threatening to kill her secret boyfriend.
Through this chapter, Katniss also grapples with a more personal warfare: her devotion to Gale (despite her inability to commit to the idea of love) and her family, her complicated, moralistic affection for Peeta, her remorse over losing Rue, and her agonizing desire to flee the eye of the public and the Capitol. Oftentimes, Katniss' depression and guilty conscience transcends the bounds of sappy. Her soap opera scenes with a soot-covered Gale really push the limits, saved if only by the undeniable grace and charisma of star Lawrence at every step along the way of this film. So it's sappy, but never too sappy.
In fact, Catching Fire is a masterpiece of pushing limits as far as they'll extend before the point of diminishing returns. Director Francis Lawrence maintains an ambiance that lends to emotional investment but never imposes too much realism as to drip into territories of grit. All of Catching Fire lives in a dreamlike state, a stark contrast to Hunger Games' guttural, grimacing quality that robbed it of the life force Suzanne Collins pumped into her first novel.
Once we get to the thunderdome, our engines are effectively revved for the "fun part." Katniss, Peeta, and their array of allies and enemies traverse a nightmare course that seems perfectly suited for a videogame spin-off. At this point, we've spent just enough time with the secondary characters to grow a bit fond of them — deliberately obnoxious Finnick, jarringly provocative Johanna, offbeat geeks Beedee and Wiress — but not quite enough to dissolve the mystery surrounding any of them or their true intentions (which become more and more enigmatic as the film progresses). We only need adhere to Katniss and Peeta once tossed in the pit of doom that is the 75th Hunger Games arena, but finding real characters in the other tributes makes for a far more fun round of extreme manhunt.
But Catching Fire doesn't vie for anything particularly grand. It entertains and engages, having fun with and anchoring weight to its characters and circumstances, but stays within the expected confines of what a Hunger Games movie can be. It's a good one, but without shooting for succinctly interesting or surprising work with Katniss and her relationships or taking a stab at anything but the obvious in terms of sending up the militant tyrannical autocracy, it never even closes in on the possibility of being a great one.
3.5/5
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Annual British charity gig series the Little Noise Sessions has been cancelled. The London concerts have been held since 2006 to raise money for the charity Mencap, which helps people with learning disabilities, and the shows have previously featured performances from acts including Amy Winehouse, Noel Gallagher, Adele and Coldplay.
However, organisers have now confirmed the 2013 concerts, which were due to take place next month (Dec13), will not go ahead.
A statement reads, "Due to unforeseen circumstances, this year's Little Noise Sessions has been cancelled and we're taking a year out. Thank you for all your love and support. Please bear with us and we'll be back soon."

Gwyneth Paltrow's Oscar-winning movie Shakespeare In Love is heading to London's West End. The film, which also starred Joseph Fiennes as the famous playwright, swept the Academy Awards following its release in 1998, earning a total of seven Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Actress for Paltrow and Best Supporting Actress for Dame Judi Dench.
Now the screenplay, penned by Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard, is being adapted for a stage production by Billy Elliot writer Lee Hall, who plans to launch it at the Noel Coward Theatre next summer (14).

Fun Lovin' Criminals star Huey Morgan stunned fans of BBC quiz show Never Mind The Buzzcocks on Monday night (04Nov13) after complaining about song lyrics questions he was asked to complete by guest hosts Jordan 'Rizzle' Stephens and Harley 'sylvester' Alexander-Sule and smashing a ceramic mug. The singer, who is also a BBC DJ, appeared annoyed during the 'next lines' segment of the show, after the quiz masters, who make up U.K. rap duo Rizzle Kicks, kept asking him to complete lines from his own songs.
And when the fun loving hosts asked his team to complete a line from Kavana's I Can Make You Feel Good, Morgan flipped, hurled his mug to the table in front of him and yelled, "Who's that?"
As teammates Phill Jupitus and Laura Whitmore protected themselves from shards of shattered ceramics, Stephens asked, "Why are you annoyed by the next line game?" prompting angry Morgan to snarl, "Just go on with this... I just feel like a punk, I'm sorry".
But the co-host started taunting the singer, stating, "Huey, it's the game, bro... You don't have to smash a mug in my hair... Let's carry on, you're upset, I know."
Morgan then threatened, "You ain't seen me upset," prompting Alexander-Sule to introduce the next game advising comedian Noel Fielding and his team to try not to win or "Huey might get a bit cross".
Morgan's team eventually won the game and the Fun Lovin' Criminals star walked off the set as he the co-hosts were closing the show.

Rocker Noel Gallagher is adamant he does not regret supporting British politician Tony Blair in the 1990s but hates the infamous photograph of him hobnobbing with the Prime Minister in Downing Street. The former Oasis star was a vocal supporter of Blair when he was the Opposition leader, and the politician returned the favour after sweeping to power in 1997 by inviting Gallagher to a reception at the official Prime Minister's residence.
The photo of the pair talking over a glass of champagne at 10 Downing Street attracted a wave of criticism of Gallagher for mixing with the political elite, and he now admits he rues the moment - but he's adamant he was right to support Blair's bid for election.
Asked if he regrets backing Blair before he became Prime Minister, Gallagher tells New Statesman magazine, "Nah, not really. It was a great time in history. The grip of Thatcherism was being smashed. New Labour had been brilliant in opposition. When Tony Blair spoke, his words seemed to speak to people, young people.
"Call me naive but I felt something - I'm not quite sure what it was, but I felt it all the same. I do regret that picture at No. 10 that night, though... I can still smell the cheese!"

Noel and Liam Gallagher's brother Paul is convinced the feuding siblings will reunite Oasis - because they have "unfinished business" with the band. The band split in 2009 after guitarist Noel quit following a backstage fight with his younger brother, the group's singer. The Gallaghers have been estranged ever since and Liam even threatened to sue his former bandmate for remarks he made about the frontman.
Both brothers have found success away from Oasis - Liam with Beady Eye and Noel has become an acclaimed solo artist - but their brother Paul insists fans haven't heard or seen the last of the Some Might Say hitmakers.
In a new interview as part of an Irish TV documentary, he says, "I think they've got unfinished business. I think Noel regrets walking out the way he did. Liam was always going to carry on and do his own thing. I've got a funny feeling something might happen in the future, in two years' time, maybe three.
"All it takes is two guys to say, 'You know what, I'm sorry, but I love you.' That's all it takes, it's not hard. It's easy."
Both Liam and Noel have shot down reports suggesting they are secretly planning Oasis concerts next year (14) to mark the 20th anniversary of the release of the band's first album Definitely Maybe.

British singer/actor Noel Harrison has died at the age of 79. The Windmills of Your Mind hitmaker passed away at his home in Devon, England following a battle with kidney disease.
The son of My Fair Lady star Sir Rex Harrison was best known for his 1969 hit, which won an Academy Award for its use in the soundtrack to classic Steve McQueen movie The Thomas Crown Affair.
He was born in London in 1934 and was a keen skier, becoming British slalom champion in 1953 and representing Great Britain at the 1952 and 1956 Winter Olympics.
He moved to the U.S. in the mid-1960s before scoring his big hit, and he also enjoyed roles in several TV series including The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and Mission: Impossible.
Harrison disliked life in the spotlight and returned to his native U.K. in the 1990s, where he continued to perform low-key gigs.
In June this year (13) he revealed doctors had deemed him too old to undergo a lifesaving kidney transplant and he would be "lucky" to survive another two or three years.
Harrison was married three times and had children and grandchildren from his first two marriages.

Noel Gallagher and Paul Weller gave a fan a shock when they pulled over to ask for directions during a road trip. The former The Jam frontman offered Gallagher a lift to visit his ex-Oasis bandmate Gem Archer after the guitarist suffered a broken leg and a fractured skull this summer (13).
But neither rock icon knew how to get to their destination, so they surprised a pedestrian by asking for directions.
Gallagher tells British radio station Xfm, "Weller just threw the satnav (GPS system) at me and said, 'Do you know how to work it?' Obviously I said 'no' - I don't even drive. I'm a world famous rock star, I've got people and a beautiful wife to do that for me. So off we go, with no idea of the route. Driving around north London, with me trying to tell him the right direction. He was cutting people up and calling them all sorts. We stopped to ask this lad if he knew where to go. He nearly had a heart attack when he saw us in the car."